Say Anything
by larrymcg
Summary: JAM. Takes place after Take Your Daughter to Work Day. In The Fire, Pam listed five of her favorite movies, but was interrupted before she was able to say what her alltime favorite was. This fic was inspired by one of the possibilities for her answer.


Pam never did get to tell everyone what her all-time favorite movie was, because Jim made her play by the rules. Now here she was watching it, curled up on the couch with her head rested on Roy's shoulder. This was a rare moment of happiness and contentment in their relationship. 

"Babe, do you mind? My shoulder is kind of sore", Roy said as he pulled away from her.

"Oh, sure, sorry". She didn't really mean it, though. She was actually annoyed.  
But she wouldn't let it show. She never did.

"What movie is this again?"

"Say Anything", Pam replied, trying to disguise even the slightest hint of annoyance.

"This guy is totally gay", Roy commented about the main character. Pam tried to ignore him and focus on her favorite scene in the movie, where Lloyd walks Diane home after their first date. "Babe, can't we watch Armageddon or something?"

"Sure". She knew she wasn't going to win this argument, and just resigned herself to another crappy evening at home.

Things got better at work the next day. They always did. Not because she loved her job. It was a mind-numbing bore. But there was one thing about it that always brightened her day.

"Beesley!", Jim shouted from behind the receptionist desk. "How was your weekend?"

"Um, great", she lied. "Why are you back there?"

"Oh, um, the phone was ringing, so I was gonna answer it for you, but they hung up." Jim could tell she wasn't in a good mood. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, sure. It's just, Roy and I. I don't know. Maybe I'm just getting cold feet, but sometimes it's just really difficult between us."

Jim nodded and showed empathy, but he didn't know what to say. He knew what he wanted to say, but Pam was engaged and it wouldn't be appropriate. He needed to say something to end this awkward silence, so he went with the one thing that they always connected on. It was their universal language.

"Wanna help me pull a prank on Dwight?"

"Of course!". Pam beamed. Jim was always great at cheering her up.

Later on that day, Dwight returned from the break room to find something missing. As he opened one of his drawers, he discovered his cherished purple belt was missing. "Jim! Where is my purple belt?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, buddy."

"Yes you do. You're always taking my stuff and putting it in the vending machine or in the bathroom."

"I promise I did not take your purple belt...Pam did."

"Pam!", Dwight yelled, as he was getting pretty angry.

"Relax Dwight. This should help you find it." Pam handed him a map that supposedly showed him where to find his belt. It told him how many steps to take and in which direction. Dwight immediately began following the map. At one point, it told him to turn around and walk backwards. He did so, but ran into the elevator door, causing Jim and Pam to giggle.

"Ha ha, very funny," Dwight thought he had figured it out. He pressed the elevator button, but still waited with his back to the door, never forgetting the map's instructions. Jim and Pam continued to giggle. Eventually the elevator door opened, revealing Ryan.

"Hey Dwight, is this yours?", Ryan said as he showed Dwight his purple belt. "I found it hanging here in the elevator."

Dwight quickly grabbed the belt and gave a mischievous smile to Jim and Pam.  
"Ha! You guys are always trying to pull one over on me. Well, you're not as smart as you used to be. Who's the idiot now?" However, Dwight wasn't smart enough to stop following the map. He continued walking backwards and into the elevator.

"No comment", Jim said as he suppressed a laugh.

Dwight was totally satisfied with his victory, but Pam and Jim broke out into laughter as the elevator doors shut. It is in moments like these that Pam felt alive. The rest of her life was such a struggle, but she could always count on Jim to make it worthwhile. And she was only beginning to realize what that meant.

"Hey, Beesley, ready to take lunch? French Onion Chips are on me."

"Definitely. I'll be right there." Pam went into her desk to get some change, and that's when she noticed it. Inside was a copy of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Now she knew why Jim was behind her desk earlier. It was the kind of thoughtful gift that Roy would never give her. Pam almost cried, but she tried to hide her reaction so Jim wouldn't see. It was a routine that they had both practiced pretty well, but it was getting harder and harder to do. She got up and followed Jim into the break room.

"Watch out" Jim said as they entered the break room. He had noticed there was broken glass on the floor. Jim immediately saw it and kicked it out of their path. He then grabbed Pam's arm and guided her around the broken glass.

"Somebody needs to clean that up," Jim declared.

"Yeah", Pam said, almost as an afterthought. She wasn't focused on words anymore. She just had a moment of epiphany, and all she could do was look at Jim.

Jim looked puzzled. "What's up, Beesley?" There was no response. Another silence, but this one wasn't so awkward. Jim could tell by the way she was looking at him. Something was different.

Pam felt safe and happy and in love. And this time, she wasn't afraid to show it. Jim could see it in her eyes and her smile. It reminded him of the look she gave out on the deck of the Booze Cruise. This time, Jim knew he would not let the next 27 seconds tick away.


End file.
